The present invention relates to a hand tool hereinafter called xe2x80x9cdermabrasion hand toolxe2x80x9d for abrasively removing skin surface. More particularly, the present invention relates to a dermabrasion hand tool devised so as to allow a controlled and stable removal of superficial skin surface by the projection of a fine abrasive stream onto the skin surface to be removed, said fine abrasive stream being projected and retrieved in a rotational pattern and orthogonally to and from the skin surface to be removed.
Devices used for aesthetic applications in the field of skin treatment are well known in the art. These devices generally consist of hand tools used for abrasively removing layers of human skin in such a way as to ultimately obtain aesthetic improvements of the skin being treated. Depending on the application and the desired end result, such superficial skin abrasion may range from a light abrasion where the outermost layers of the epidermis are removed, to a much deeper abrasion where the dermis is involved. Therefore, it would be useful to provide a hand tool which enables a controlled and adjustable removal of superficial skin surface by the projection of an abrasive stream onto the skin surface to be removed.
An example of the hand tools known in the art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,432 granted on Aug. 6th, 1991 to Molinari. This patent describes an apparatus which is used to remove surface portions of human tissues in an adjustable manner and essentially comprises a tool provided with a supply tube along which abrasive reducing substances are conveyed under pressure. A throughhole in the head disposed along the axis of the tube permits the substances to abrade the region of tissue facing the hole. A collection tube in which Is created a depression is provided for the purpose of removing under suction both the reducing substances and the portions of tissue removed during the treatment.
A major problem associated with the above-mentioned device is that the hand tool is devised to project the abrasive stream onto the skin surface to be removed at a tilted angle, which gives rise to an abrasion pattern on the skin surface in the form of a xe2x80x9chalf-moonxe2x80x9d. This is undesirable because, as it is known in the art, axisymmetrical abrasion patterns, such as a circular pattern for example, enable for a much more uniform and thus improved superficial skin abrasion, leading ultimately to better aesthetic skin improvements. Another problem associated with the above-mentioned type of hand tool is that the latter is generally devised to be operated at an optimal tilted angle with respect to the skin surface being worked upon, said tilted angle being generally very difficult for a manual operator of the device to keep constantly with respect to the surface being worked upon throughout the entire duration of the treatment. This leads to fluctuations in time of the abrasion patterns on the skin surface being worked upon which is also undesirable for obvious reasons known in the art. Therefore, it would be useful to provide a hand tool which would enable a more even skin abrasion pattern than what is possible with the devices known in the prior art, both in surface geometry and in time.
Also known in the art are hand tools which are devised to project the abrasive stream orthogonally to the skin surface to be removed. These devices are generally more practical than the above-discussed hand tools, since they are designed to be operated orthogonally to the skin surface worked upon, thereby simplifying positioning and handling thereof. However, a major problem associated with these types of devices is that instead of adequately removing layers of skin, because they project the abrasive stream orthogonally to the skin surface to be removed, they tend to mark said skin surface being worked upon with deep cavities, a phenomenon commonly known as xe2x80x9cpittingxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cskin stabbingxe2x80x9d which is also undesirable for obvious reasons known in the art. Therefore, it would be useful to provide a hand tool which enables to project an abrasive stream orthogonally to the skin surface to be removed without causing xe2x80x9cskin stabbingxe2x80x9d thereon.
It is also known in the art that most of the hand tools used for abrasively removing layers of skin tend to be of elaborate construction, thereby making them quite difficult to assemble, use and/or maintain. Therefore, it would be useful to provide a hand tool which is easy to assemble, easy to use, and easy to maintain.
Also known to the Applicant are the following US patents which describe other devices used for clinical applications or abrasive purposes: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,608,032; 2,921,585; 3,085,573; 3,574,239; 3,715,838; 4,560,373; 4,646,480; 4,676,749; and 4,757,814.
None of the above-mentioned patents seems to disclose or even suggest a dermabrasion hand tool which can project and retrieve an abrasive stream to and from the skin surface to be removed in a rotational pattern and orthogonally thereto, Furthermore, none of the above-mentioned patents seems to disclose or even suggest a dermabrasion hand tool which enables a controlled and adjustable removal of superficial skin surface by the projection of an abrasive stream onto the skin surface to be removed, while providing a substantially even skin abrasion pattern, both in surface geometry and in time. Moreover, none of the above-mentioned patents seems to disclose or even suggest a dermabrasion hand tool which is easy to assemble, easy to use, and easy to maintain.
The main objects of the present invention are to provide a dermabrasion hand tool which satisfies each of the above-mentioned needs.
More particularly, a first object of the invention is to provide a dermabrasion hand tool which enables a controlled and adjustable removal of superficial skin surface by the projection of an abrasive stream onto the skin surface to be removed.
A second object of the invention is to provide a dermabrasion hand tool which enables a more even skin abrasion pattern than what is possible with the devices known in the prior art, both in surface geometry and in time.
A third object of the invention is to provide a dermabrasion hand tool which enables to project and retrieve the abrasive stream to and from the skin surface to be removed in a rotational pattern and orthogonally thereto.
A fourth object of the invention is to provide a dermabrasion hand tool which is easy to assemble, easy to use, and easy to maintain.
In accordance with the invention, the above objects are achieved by a dermabrasion hand tool for abrasively removing a skin surface by means of an abrasive stream projected onto the skin surface to be removed, the abrasive stream after projection onto said skin surface becoming a used abrasive stream, said hand tool comprising:
an elongated manipulative body having a longitudinal axis and first and second opposite ends;
an operative head through which the abrasive stream is projected onto the skin surface to be removed and through which the removed skin surface and used abrasive stream are evacuated, said operative head being removably mounted onto the first end of the manipulative body; and
a supply channel for supplying the abrasive stream to the operative head from a supply stream source, and an evacuating channel for evacuating the removed skin surface and used abrasive stream from the operative head to an evacuating means, both of said channels extending within and along the manipulative body and each having first and second extremities located respectively at the first and second ends of the manipulative body;
wherein the operative head comprises:
a projection head for projecting the abrasive stream orthogonally to the skin surface to be removed;
an evacuation chamber operatively connected to the evacuating channel for facilitating evacuation of the removed skin surface and used abrasive stream into said evacuating channel; and
rotation-inducing means for giving a rotational pattern to the abrasive stream projected from the operative head.